The government is at an advanced stage in coming up with an Act that will replace the outdated Criminal Proceedings Act of 1969, to enable more members of the public get access to legal service in the country.
TheDeputy Minister of Constitution and Legal Affairs, Ms Angellah Kairuki.
Deputy Minister for Constitution and Legal Affairs, Ms Angela Kairuki told the Parliament that the new Act will regulate the provision of legal service for poor members of the community, who cannot afford hiring private advocates in the courts of law.
According to her, the Criminal Proceedings Act of 1969 was there for serious offences like murder cases but time has come where new legal machinery should be formed to oversee the provision of legal services in a wider perspective.
She was answering a question by Ms Elizabeth Batenga (Special Seat-CCM), who wanted to know the government action for people who cannot afford expensive costs charged by advocates in the country.
The Deputy Minister said Legal Societies and Para Legal units currently operating in the country are doing good work so far and promised that the Legal Service Bill will immediately be tabled to strengthen that area and make sure every citizen has right to legal advocacy.
She said the Legal Service Facility (LSF) is doing well with provision of public education on basic legal knowledge and that 6.5 million US dollars (about 10bn/-) has been set aside for the public education campaigns countrywide.
Source Tanzania Daily News
